Summary On the morning of 29 August 1995, in calm and clear weather conditions in Johnstone Straits, the fishing vessel INSKIP suddenly capsized at about 0835(1) when a catch of salmon being lifted over the stern slid to port. Downflooding of the fish holds caused the wooden seiner to sink quickly as she was already fully laden with fish caught earlier. The crew and the skipper's family who lived on the INSKIP boarded the skiff being towed alongside and were rescued by another fishing vessel in the vicinity. Minor injuries were sustained by one crew member who was pinned to the bulwark when the fish catch slid over to port. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information Particulars of the Vessel The INSKIP was a seiner of carvel construction with oak frames and fir planked. The fir plywood cabin was located forward of the fish hold. The fibreglassed insulated fish hold was subdivided into three slush tanks where the fish cargo was normally carried on ice. A lazaret was located aft of the fish hold. The rigging included a boom which had a travelling block and was located atop the cabin. In the aft section there was an aluminum seine drum driven by two hydraulic motors, vertical rollers on spooling gear which guided the net as it came up over the stern and a hydraulically operated ramp. The slanting ramp could be raised hydraulically after the fish had been landed on it. After having fished on 28 August off Ripple Point in Johnstone Straits, the INSKIP had on board about 9,100kg (20,000 lbs) of sockeye salmon and champagne in its fish hold. It anchored for the night and on the morning of 29 August proceeded south to fish a few hundred metres off Vansittart Point on West Thurlow Island. The crew were aft tending the net and the gear as they commenced hauling the fish over the stern on to the stern ramp. When the crew lifted the first catch on to the stern ramp at about 0830, they felt that the drum winch was not taking the weight as it was an exceptionally heavy catch. No brailing was attempted, but the runner wire from the topped up derrick was quickly connected to support the net as the catch started sliding back into the water. The skipper/owner's wife operated the derrick winch from atop the cabin which was forward of the fish holds. As the weight came on the derrick head block the fish in the net unexpectedly slid to port, pinning one of the crew members on to the port bulwark. The INSKIP heeled 90o to port suddenly and water started downflooding the fish holds, accommodation and engine room. Fortunately, the seine skiff was in the water on the starboard side of the INSKIP. The crew member who had been pinned to the bulwark came free as the fish floated off when the vessel heeled. He, along with the other crew members and the skipper's family, boarded the skiff. They were rescued from the skiff by another fishing vessel which was in the vicinity. The weather was clear with calm wind and smooth seas. The vessel sank in over one hundred fathoms of water and has not been recovered. The crew of five included the skipper/owner's wife who helped with the deckwork. A sixth person on board was the skipper's seven year old son. One of the crew had a Watch Keeping Mate's certificate of competency and the rest of the crew including the skipper had considerable fishing experience but no certification. A fishing vessel of less than 100 gross tons does not require a certificated master or mate. The skipper and his family had been living on board the INSKIP since June 1995 when they had purchased the boat. The vessel had undergone a steamship inspection in July 1995 and been granted a certificate of inspection valid up to 7 July 1999. As a small fishing vessel built before 6 July 1977, and not engaged in fishing for herring or capelin, the INSKIP was not required to comply with the stability requirements of Part 1, Section 29 of the Small Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations. Thus no stability calculations are known to have been provided for the vessel. The seaman who had been pinned by the fish suffered broken ribs and injuries to his abdomen.